BiomassBy: Gaby Stewart group #6

Owen Hearns

Reilly Price room: 7A

What Is BiomassBiomass- Organic matter used as a fuel, esp. in a power station for the generation of electricity.

Biomass is the oldest source of renewable energy, it’s been used since our ancestors learned the secret of fire.

Biomass is a renewable energy source that can be replenished almost immediately.

Biomass Sources

• Biomass objects are burned in heating chambers, where the steam is used to power a generator, which creates energy.

• These are the materials burned to power the generators.

BiodieselBiodiesel- A clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resource.

Biodiesel contains no petroleum/gasoline, but it can be blended with petroleum to create a biodiesel blend.

It is easy to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.

Ethanol

Ethanol- A clean-burning, high-octane motor fuel that is produced from renewable resources.

According to the U.S Department of Energy, about 1.5 billion gallons of ethanol are made every year in the United States.

Unblended 100% ethanol is not used as a motor fuel: instead, a percentage of ethanol is combined with unleaded gasoline.

Common Ethanol Blends

E10

10% ethanol and 90% unleaded gasoline.

E10 is approved for use in any make or model of vehicle sold in the U.S. Many automakers recommend its use because of its high performance, and clean-burning characteristics.

Today more than 75% of America’s gasoline contained ethanol, most as this E10 blend.

E85

85% ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline.

E85 is an alternative fuel for use in flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs).

E85 pumps are being installed across the country.

When E85 is not available, these FFVs can operate on straight gasoline or any ethanol blend up to 85%.

Crops Used in Ethanol & Biodiesel

barley

canola

corn

crambe

flaxseed

grain

wheat

switchgrass

sorghum

mustard seed

oats

rapeseed

rice

safflower

sesame seed

soybeans

sunflower seed

Brainpop Video- Biofuels

Advantages

Biofuels are made from recently living organisms, and is a renewable resource.

It releases a small amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, when burned.

Most scientists believe there is a wide range of biomass resources that can be produced sustainably and at minable harm.

Disadvantages

It’s not as efficient as other nonrenewable resources.

The machines used to harvest the crops, used in biofuels, still use fossil fuel.

Using farm land to make biofuel, can create a food shortages and may cause the prices to increase.

http://www.brainpop.com/technology/energytechnology/biofuels/preview.weml

BiomassAdvantages

Biomass is a critical renewable energy resource that can help America to make the transition to a clean energy future.

Low- carbon biomass can provide a large amount of the new renewable energy, which will reduce the impact of global warming.

Without low-carbon bio power it will likely be more expensive and take longer to transform to a clean energy economy.

Disadvantages

If not used carefully, biomass can be harvested in unsustainable rates, damage ecosystems, produce harmful air pollution, consume large amounts of water, and produce greenhouse gas.

Biomass crops are not available all year.

Biomass is an expensive resource, both in terms of producing the biomass and converting it to alcohols.

Biomass FactoryVideo

Biomass product is dumped and sorted on conveyer belts.

Biomass products that are too big are grinded into smaller pieces.

The conveyer belt takes scoops of the product, and burns it at extreme temperatures in heating chambers.

The steam created is used for powering turbines which creates electricity or the steam is used for heating and cooling.

Ashes from the fire are then carried to places such as farms as fertilizers.

http://blogs.middlebury.edu/biomass/about/video-tour

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Fun Facts!Its 14% of the worlds total energy requirements and 4% of that is from the U.S.A. alone.

Ethanol consumption has increased by about 700% in the last 10 years.

In Iowa and Wisconsin, biomass energy from landfills and dairy farms are being used to make electricity.

Waste oil, such as oil that has been used by restaurants for deep frying can be converted into biodiesel.

Fun Facts! (cont.)The world has been using biomass energy for thousands of years to heat their homes and cook their foods.

Biomass can be converted into wood-energy pellets, which are used in heaters and furnaces in residential and commercial applications.

Biomass is the second-most common form of renewable energy we use in the U.S., providing enough electricity to power more than 2 million homes.

Biomass Quiz!What is biomass?

How is biomass used?What are the benefits of biomass?

How is electricity created through biomass?

What are the 2 main types of biofuel?

Bibliography

Hayhurst, Christ. Biofuel Power of the Future: New Ways of Turning Organic Matter into Energy. New York: Rosen Pub. Group,2003. Print.

Energy Information Administration (EIA). 2008. Renewable energy trends 2007. Washington, DC. Online at http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/solar.renewables/page/trends/rentrends.html.

Union of Concerned Scientists. 2009a. UCS Climate 2030: A national blueprint for a clean energy economy. Cambridge, MA.

Ethanol." Fuel Economy. Web. 09 Mar. 2012. <http://www.fueleconomy

National Biodiesel Board - Www.biodiesel.org - Www.nbb.org." National Biodiesel Board. Web. 09 Mar. 2012. <http://www.biodiesel.org/>.

"AE Kids : Biomass Energy." Biomass Energy. Web. 09 Mar. 2012. <http://www.alliantenergykids.com/EnergyandTheEnvironment/RenewableEnergy/022398>.

"Biofuels." BrainPOP. Web. 09 Mar. 2012. <http://www.brainpop.com/technology/energytechnology/biofuels/preview.weml>.